A 'Penelope' pizza with house made pepperoni, fresh house ricotta and basil pesto, paired with a 2nd Street blonde ale, left, and an Oatis oatmeal stout Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2017 at Urban Village Brewing Company in Philadelphia. Joe Lamberti/Courier-Post

Philadelphia’s reputation as a stellar beer town is living up to its name, with breweries continuing to pop up all over the city and surrounding suburbs. One of the latest establishments, Urban Village Brewing Company, recently opened in Northern Liberties, a neighborhood considered one of the hippest and most vibrant in the city.

Although its location is in the midst of the city’s hustle and bustle, the owners have a strong New Jersey connection and an extensive background in the restaurant and food industry.

Tom Revelli grew up in Fairview, and attended Camden Catholic and Washington Township high schools. He also attended the Art Institute of Philadelphia. Years ago, he started his career working at the Italian Bistro in Washington Township as a busboy then moved on to managing Landmark Americana — eventually becoming director of marketing for Landmark before opening Urban Village in early 2017.

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Owners Tom Revelli (left) and Dave Goldman hang out in the beer garden at Urban Village Brewing Company in Philadelphia.(Photo: Joe Lamberti/Courier-Post)

Dave Goldman, Urban Village’s brewer, is from Cheltenham, Pennsylvania, and now lives in Williamstown. An avid home brewer, he is also a graduate of Philadelphia's University of the Sciences brewing certificate program. Both are involved with other local businesses (with other partners), including Wine Works in Marlton and they currently are owners at Landmark Americana.

Opened on June 1, 2017, Urban Village features an industrial, rustic design with wooden floors and tables and soaring windows overlooking the street. With indoor-outdoor seating for over 100 customers, it’s quickly become a hot spot for beer lovers, as well as those who enjoy their menu of casual bar food.

The best-selling food items include gourmet brick oven pizzas, including vegan options, as well as the mussels — they make several versions, such as a spicy red, witbier, mushroom and beef broth. Their smoked wings also are popular and are seasoned with spicy buffalo sauce or Moroccan chili sauce. Urban Village also offers a full bar and a robust selection of wines.

“We have a huge beer garden and kitchen that makes everything from scratch,'' Revelli says. "The service is top-notch to enrich the whole experience. The food and the restaurant are not an afterthought.”

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A 2nd Street blonde ale (left) sidles up to an Oatis oatmeal stout at Urban Village Brewing Company in Philadelphia.(Photo: Joe Lamberti/Courier-Post)

And how did they come up with the name of the brewery?

“My partner, Dave and I love beer and brewing,'' Revelli said. "It was a natural decision to open a brewery. After much research, we found a book about Northern Liberties that referred to the neighborhood as an ‘Urban Village.’ We loved that concept and ran with it.”

Urban Village sells about 1,500 pints of beer per week and always offers at least 12 beers on tap. The selection changes frequently, attracting beer lovers who look forward to tasting new brews. A few of their offerings include: Land Down Under, a hoppy saison; Wrong Way, a tropical-inspired IPA; C.P.A., a citra-hopped pale ale, and Rye Bread, a hearty brew reminiscent of a nutty brown loaf of bread.

“This summer, we brewed C.P.A., Beach Day Blonde and Huntingdon Drive IPA. Some of our best-selling beers will soon be available in Philly and Jersey bars, starting with the C.P.A.,” Revelli says.

For the winter season, the brewery will start selling a new variety of offerings.

Revelli is inspired when his customers are interested in how their beer is made. When visiting Urban Village, guests are encouraged to order flights of beer and taste the array of brews on the menu. They are also sometimes invited in the back to see the brewing process, the fermentation tanks and ask questions about beer in general.

Revelli oversees all operations of the restaurant, from helping the staff to making sure the managers are on task with their responsibilities. Goldman handles the brewery operations, keeping tap selections fresh — and making sure the beers complement the food.

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A 'Penelope' pizza is topped with house made pepperoni, fresh house ricotta and basil pesto, paired with a 2nd Street blonde ale (left) and an Oatis oatmeal stout at Urban Village Brewing Company in Philadelphia.(Photo: Joe Lamberti/Courier-Post)

For the upcoming season, Urban Village will host happy hours, as well as frequent beer dinners, a ticketed event with multiple courses and beer pairings. They also have other events on the horizon, such as pizza-making classes and more.

When opening a new establishment, many restaurant owners face unexpected problems – but Urban Village’s challenge was more sudden and extreme. Some might recall that Urban Village was in the news shortly after opening, for an unfortunate reason. A man drove a U-Haul through their front window, shattering the glass and causing damage and chaos.

“We were relatively lucky in that our past restaurant experience helped us open without many challenges, until the accident of course,'' Revelli explained. "After that, I learned that the neighborhood is very supportive. We were flooded with well wishes after the fact.”

“We love being part of the Philly scene. It keeps us on top of our game and pushes us to always innovate, always anticipate what’s the next trend, and above all, always strive improve our customer experience. There is also a great camaraderie in the Philly beer scene.

"Dave and I are lucky to have a lot of good friends in the industry.”

Marla Cimini is a freelance writer living in Cherry Hill, NJ. She writes about travel, food, wine and spirits for USA Today and other publications and is always planning her next trip. Follow her on Twitter & Instagram: @MarlaCimini

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Owners Tom Revelli (left) and Dave Goldman tour the brewery at Urban Village Brewing Company in Philadelphia.(Photo: Joe Lamberti/Courier-Post)